Elongation and heat indicating synthetic fiber rope

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a non-steel strength membered high strength cable easily monitored for heat and elongation comprising a length of a core-cable ( 10 ), the length of core-cable ( 10 ) including at least two fiber-optic conductors ( 2 ) that are:
         (i) disposed in a helical shape; and   (ii) completely encased in a solid, flexible material.
 
One fiber-optic conductor capable of transmitting at least Raman backscattering and the other fiber-optic conductor capable of transmitting at least Brillouin scattering.
       

     A combination of the cable ( 10 ):
         (i) with an interrogator that can read and interpret Raman backscattering coupled to and communicating with the fiber optic conductor that is capable of transmitting at least Raman backscattering; and   (ii) another interrogator that can read and interpret Brillouin scattering coupled to and communicating with the fiber optic conductor that is capable of transmitting at least Brillouin scattering;
 
permits ascertaining the elongation of the cable, without using loose tube fiber-opticplacement.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to the technical field ofcables and especially to cables having a strength member made from aclass of synthetic fibers known as superfibers. More particularly, thepresent disclosure relates to synthetic superfiber formed strengthmembered cables that are designed to be lighter in weight in comparisonto steel wire rope and to bear tension loads while being capable ofbeing wound upon drums and winches and passed over sheaves andadditionally to transmit data signals and optionally electricity.

BACKGROUND ART

Cables having strength members formed from superfibers possess anadvantage over traditional steel wire rope cables in that superfiberstrength members store significantly less kinetic energy compared tosteel wire cables and thus are less dangerous when they unexpectedlyrupture. Conversely, steel wire rope cables act as springs that storeenergy and thus, when experiencing an unexpected rupture of the steelwire cable, recoil with tremendous stored energy that sometimes can killand maims crew and other persons in the vicinity of the cable, as wellas destroys equipment.

Thus, it is important to replace steel wire rope cables with cables thatemploy superfibers for their strength members.

Other advantages of cables employing super fibers for their strengthmembers in comparison to wire rope is that superfiber strength memberedcables do not rust and have a far lighter weight in both air as well aswater compared to steel wire rope. The lower weights require less bulkyand less costly equipment and facility structures, and the lack of rustcan lead to greater life and greater safety of operation.

However, a main problem limiting the use of superfiber strength memberedcables in substitution of steel wire rope cables is that superfiberstrength membered ropes are more prone to experience a catastrophicfailure due to undetected permanent elongation in a specific region ofthe rope that goes undetected, as such ropes when used in dynamicapplications must be sheathed, and thus are more difficult to inspect.Also, as they do not rust, it is difficult to determine their remaininglifespan. Unless it is possible to monitor the temperature internal thecable as well as the elongation (elongation also is known as “strain” inthe industry) of the superfiber strength membered rope and/or cable, itis impossible to accurately predict catastrophic failure of a syntheticstrength membered cable. As mentioned supra, such failure could causeloss of life and limb, as well as equipment damage.

The above described problems have limited the adoption into industry ofsuperfiber strength membered cables in substitution of steel cables.This is a problem as crew continue to be killed and injured by steelwire cables when synthetic strength membered cables are not used.

Thus, due to the safety advantages and also due to economic advantagesof superfiber strength membered cables in comparison to steel cables itcan readily be appreciated that a long-felt need exists in industry fora cable that permits constantly monitoring the temperature internal thecable as well as the elongation and/or creep of the cable.

Some attempted solutions to these problems include forming cables havingmagnets located within a core internal a synthetic strength member. Theconcept includes using the magnets to monitor both heat as well aselongation. A main problem with this concept is that the monitoring canonly be done to a portion of the cable where is situated sensoryequipment, rather than to any length along the entire cable. As it isnot feasible to always use ROVs that have sensor equipment to constantlymonitor a long length of cable that can be thousands of meters submergedor that is in a constantly moving crane rope environment, such solutionsare not widely adopted.

It is the knowledge of those skilled in the industry including themanufacturers of optical fibers whom we have worked with that in orderto utilize optical fibers to monitor an objects elongation or strain orheat, that at least two optical fibers are needed, where one opticalfiber is encased within the object in firm contact with the object, andwhere another optical fiber is in a “loose tube” configuration, whichmeans that optical fiber is loose in a tube and the tube is encasedwithin the object. The concept is that because the optical fiber that isloose in the tube is not subject to any elongation and/or strain and/orstress, that it is possible to accurately use such optical fiber todetermine elongation of the encased fiber, using methods well known inthe industry, including using Brillouin scattering readings where suchreadings are compared and contrasted between the “loose tube” opticalfiber and the optical fiber that is affixed to the object, such as inconcrete structures, so as to determine the elongation of the affixedoptical fiber and thus of that structure it is affixed to. The knowledgeand trend in the industry is to maintain the optical fibers as straightas possible when monitoring elongation. Some attempts to monitorsynthetic strength membered cables elongations by using optical fibersinside the cables have been tried, but all these have failed. (“Loosetube” configuration for purposes of the present disclosure includes anyconstruction where the optical fiber conductor is free to slide relativeto surrounding objects such other components of a structure that is notforming the optical fiber conductor, e.g. not the buffer layer sheathingthe optical fiber or any insulation formed integral with the opticalfiber conductor; furthermore, “loose tube” configuration includes anyconstruction where the optical fiber conductor, including its bufferand/or insultation formed integral with the optical fiber conductor, isable to slide relative to its immediately surrounding objects such as,in the case of a cable or rope, fibers or strands or the core of thecable or rope, or even other optical fiber conductors within the cableor rope)

Applicant's prior International Publication number WO 2009/142766 A2proposes a non-steel tension bearing data signal and energy cablecapable of tolerating very high loads. Unfortunately, while thesedisclosures met with some acceptance with respect especially to themetallic filament formed conductors included in this disclosure'sheadline sonar cables, attempts to include optical fiber/fiber opticconductors according to these teachings failed as those optical fiberconductors broke upon initial use of the cable.

In attempt to further improve the survivability of any optical fibersincluded in the cables formed by disclosures of our above-mentionedpublication, several years after our initial publication referencedabove we proposed further and subsequent teachings embodied in asubsequent application of ours having International Publication numberWO 2017/149553 A1. While these teachings have markedly improved thesignal resolution of metallic conductors used with headline sonar cablesof these teachings, attempts to use optical fiber/fiber optic conductorswith the headline sonar cables of these teachings also failed as thoseoptical fiber conductors were also found to break upon initial use ofthe cables of these teachings.

Thus, it can be appreciated that a long-felt need continues to exist inthe industry for a cable having as its primary purpose bearing hightension loads that permits remotely and automatically monitoring itselongation throughout the length of the cable and at any particular zoneand/or length portion along the length of the cable.

Objects of the Present Disclosure

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a construction for asynthetic strength membered cable that is light weight in comparison tosteel wire cable and is capable of tolerating typical crushing forces ondrums, winches, sheaves and the like, where the cable permits monitoringin real time both the temperature internal the cable as well as theelongation throughout the length of the cable as well as at anyparticular zone and/or length portion along the length of the cable.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a constructionfor a synthetic strength membered cable that is light weight incomparison to steel wire cable and is capable of tolerating typicalcrushing forces on drums, winches, sheaves and the like, where the cablepermits monitoring in real time both the temperature internal the cableas well as the elongation of the cable, where the cable includes opticalfibers that are protected from the crushing forces found on drums,winches and sheaves and also have synthetic strength members, and thatalso optionally contains power conductors such as a coaxial cableinternal the core of the cable.

It is another object of the present disclosure to teach a process formanufacturing a synthetic strength membered cable that is light weightin comparison to steel wire cable and is capable of tolerating typicalcrushing forces on drums, winches, sheaves and the like, where the cablepermits monitoring in real time both the temperature internal the cableas well as the elongation of the cable, as well as the load on thecable, where the cable includes optical fibers and also optionallycontains power conductors such as a coaxial cable internal the core ofthe cable.

It is yet another object of the present disclosure to teach a method fordetermining both the temperature within as well as any elongation and/orcreep exhibited by a synthetic strength membered cable as well as theload on the cable, where the cable includes optical fibers that areprotected from the crushing forces found on drums, winches and sheaves,and that also optionally contains power conductors such as a coaxialcable internal the core of the cable.

It is yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide asynthetic fiber strength membered data transmission cable capable ofbeing wound on a winch under tensions and surging shocks experienced bya fishing trawler that remains unimpaired throughout a commerciallypractical interval of at least 24 calendar months from a date of firstuse, and more especially, that has a higher signal resolution and/orsignal quality transmittable via fiber-optic fibers contained in thedata transmission cable in comparison to applicant's prior taughtnon-steel data transmission cables taught in WO 2009/142766 A2 and in WO2017/149553 A1, and in particular has a sufficiently high quality datasignal transmission and resolution so as to permit use of equipment thatis capable of discerning between different fish species, juvenile andundersized fish.

It is yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide asynthetic fiber strength membered data transmission cable capable ofbeing wound on a winch and remaining unimpaired under tensions andsurging shocks experienced by, for example, fishing trawlers and seismicvessels, particularly those having displacements exceeding 100 tons andeven exceeding 3000 tons.

It is yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide asynthetic fiber strength membered data transmission cable capable ofbeing wound on a winch at a tension exceeding 100 kg that remainsunimpaired throughout a commercially practical interval of at least 24calendar months from a date of first use on trawlers or seismic vesselsexceeding 200 tons displacement.

It is yet another object of the present invention is to provide anon-steel data transmission cable that does not kink when relaxed.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a cable that iscapable of being wound on a winch under tensions, has a strength memberformed preferably of synthetic fibers and is light in weight and low inrecoil in comparison to steel wire cable, that has a high signalresolution and/or signal quality transmittable via fiber-optic fiberscontained in the cable, is capable of being wound on winches and drums,and that also optionally contains power conductors such as a coaxialcable internal the core of the cable.

DISCLOSURE

The present invention is based upon the surprising and unexpecteddiscovery that by completely encasing within a solid flexible materialtwo distinct optical fiber conductors, where one of the optical fiberconductors is capable of transmitting at least Brillouin scatteringwavelengths; and where the other of the optical fiber conductors iscapable of transmitting at least Raman backscattering wavelengths, andwhere each of the two distinct optical fiber conductors are themselvesformed into a helix, thereby comprising a double helix formed from theoptical fibers where the double helix is completely encased in the solidflexible material, and where the optical fiber conductors do not contactone another, so as to form a core-cable created by the combination of:(i) the two optical fiber conductors where each of the optical fiberconductors defines a helix (and preferably together define a doublehelix); and (ii) the solid flexible material within which is completelyencased the optical fiber conductors each disposed in a helix (andpreferably together defining a double helix), where the same solid,flexible material completely encasing the fiber optical conductors alsoserves to support the internal diameter of the helix shape formed byeach optical fiber conductor (preferably by the same solid flexiblematerial forming a rod about which is situated each helically shapedoptical fiber conductor, such rod preferably having an oval crosssectional shape when viewed in a plan lying perpendicular to the longaxis of the rod, but also usefully having an oval or elliptical shape),and using the core-cable as a supportive core for a (preferably hollowbraided) strength member formed of polymeric material and preferablyformed of superfibers that are formed in a hollow braid constructionabout the core-cable, and, preferably where the core cable supports thenatural internal cavity shape of the strength member under a tensionthat, for example, is a tension similar to or same as the working loadof the cable, that, surprisingly and contrary to the knowledge of thoseskilled in the industry, both the temperature as well as the elongationof the cable can reliably be determined and monitored, and that,surprisingly, resolution of information and/or data signals transmittedthrough one or both of the optical fiber is of a much higher qualitythan that obtained from known constructions of cables designed toprimarily both bear high tension loads as well as to transmit datasignals. Furthermore, by cross referencing the monitored values oftemperature obtained by reading with an interrogator wavelengthstransmitted along the Raman backscattering transmitting optical fiberwith wavelengths read by an interrogator that are wavelengthstransmitting along the Brillouin scattering transmitting optical fiber,the heat and the elongation of the optical fibers and/or ofpredetermined regions of the optical fibers can be determined. Once theelongation of an optical fiber has been determined, then, by accountingfor the helical structure of the optical fiber, including the pitch ofthe helical structure and the internal diameter of the helicalstructure, then the elongation of the cable containing the helicalstructure is able to be determined, thus allowing determination ofwhether or not the cable's elongation at a specific load is withinacceptable parameters or not, the load being monitored by load cellsassociated with the winch, drum or other equipment deploying the cable,and if the cable's elongation is not within acceptable parameters, thecable can be discontinued prior to a catastrophic rupture.

Furthermore, the present invention is based upon the surprising andunexpected discovery that by suspending within a solid flexible materiala minimum of two distinct optical fiber conductors, where at least oneof the optical fiber conductors is capable of transmitting Brillouinscattering wavelengths; and where at least another of the optical fiberconductors is capable of transmitting Raman backscattering wavelengths,and where each of the at least two distinct optical fiber conductors arethemselves formed into a helix, thereby comprising at helix that is atleast a double helix from the optical fibers, where the helix that is atleast a double helix is completely encased in a solid flexible material,so as to form a core-cable created by the combination of (i) the minimumof two optical fiber conductors where each optical fiber conductordefines a helix; and (ii) the solid flexible material within which issuspended (and completely encased) the optical fiber conductors eachdisposed in a helix, and using the core-cable as a supportive core for a(preferably hollow braided) strength member formed of polymeric materialand preferably formed of superfibers that are formed in a hollow braidconstruction about the core-cable, and, preferably where the core cablesupports the natural internal cavity shape of the strength member undera tension that, for example, is a tension similar to or same as theworking load of the cable, that both the temperature as well as theelongation of the cable can reliably be determined and monitored, andthat, surprisingly, resolution of information and/or data signalstransmitted through one or both of the optical fiber is of a much higherquality than that obtained from known constructions of cables designedto primarily both bear high tension loads as well as to transmit datasignals.

The present disclosure is further based upon the surprising andunexpected discovery that by enacting a production process for the highstrength data transmission cable that includes a new step of providingadditional fixation between a core comprising thermoplastic material andthe fiber-optic conductor(s) that helix about the core, where suchadditional fixation is additional to any fixation obtained from the factthat the fiber-optic conductor(s) are connected to the core by beingsituated in helix fashion about the core, and that by providing thisadditional fixation prior to situating thermoplastic material around thecombination of the fiber-optic conductor(s) and the core about whichthey helix so as to encase the fiber-optic conductor(s) withinthermoplastic material and/or between the core and thermoplasticmaterial; and subsequently forming at least a strength member jacketlayer of polymeric material about the encased fiber-optic conductor(s)helixing about the core, that a high strength data transmission cablehaving a very high quality of signal is obtained, thus satisfying a needlong felt in the industry.

Preferably, the core about which the fiber-optic conductors helix isformed of thermoplastic material, and at least has its outermost layerformed of thermoplastic material, while also preferably thethermoplastic material situated about the combination of the core andthe fiber-optic conductors helixing about the core, is a thermoplasticmaterial that forms a very strong bond with the thermoplastic materialforming the core and at least with the thermoplastic material formingthe outermost layer of the core, e.g. forming the layer of the core thatthe helixing fiber-optic conductors contact. Ideally and preferably, thebond formed is an inseparable bond. For example, the bond ideally is sostrong that the thermoplastic material that is situated about thecombination of the core and the fiber-optic conductors helixing aboutthe core cannot, in a solid phase, be separated from the thermoplasticmaterial forming the core.

Yet more preferably, the thermoplastic material situated about thecombination of the core and the fiber-optic conductors helixing aboutthe core, is a thermoplastic material that forms a very strong bond, andpreferably an inseparable bond, with both (i) the thermoplastic materialforming the core and at least and especially with thermoplastic materialforming the outermost layer of the core; and (ii) the fiber-opticconductors and/or with the outermost layer and/or exterior of thefiber-optic conductors, such as any buffer material, insulative materialother material forming the outermost layer and/or exterior layer of thefiber-optic conductors.

Thus, in one aspect the invention sets forth a high strength datatransmission cable having a strength member and a core, the highstrength data transmission cable comprising a length of a core-cablecomprising said core as well as comprising at least one fiber-opticconductor that is disposed in a helical shape; and completely encased ina solid, flexible material. Thus, generally the at least one fiber-opticcable disposed in a helical shape is disposed as a helix around thecore.

In an embodiment the high strength data transmission cable is encasedwithin the solid, flexible material by being sandwiched and/or enclosedbetween: (a) a solid, flexible material layer comprising at least thesurface of the core and in some embodiments the whole core from thecenter to its surface; and (b) a solid, flexible material layercomprising a layer that is exterior the surface of core.

The solid, flexible material layer comprising the surface of the core(or the entire core) and the solid, flexible material layer comprisingthe layer that is exterior the surface of core preferably arepermanently bonded to one another. Thus, in some embodiments thestrength of the bonding is substantially similar or higher than thetearing strength of either or both materials.

In some embodiments the solid, flexible material layer comprising atleast the surface of the core and the solid, flexible material layercomprising the layer that is exterior the surface of core each comprisean identical substance and are permanently bonded to one another,meaning that in some embodiments the layer comprising at least thesurface of the core layer that is exterior the surface of core are madefrom substantially the same or exactly the same material.

In an embodiment of the high strength data transmission cable: (i) thesolid, flexible material layer comprising at least the surface of thecore; (ii) the solid, flexible material layer comprising the layer thatis exterior the surface of core; and (iii) an exterior most layercomprising the fiber-optical conductor are permanently bonded to oneanother. In some embodiments these three layers each comprise anidentical substance and are permanently bonded to one another, meaningthat they are in some embodiments made from substantially the same oridentical material. In embodiments comprising said three layers theseare preferably all bonded permanently one to another.

The solid flexible layer exterior the core (i.e. surrounding thefiber-optic cable) has a thickness measured from the exterior most edgeof the fiber-optic conductor to the exterior surface of said layer whichis preferably at minimum four times the diameter of the optical pipe(22, 22A) of the fiber-optic conductor, and preferably in a range fromfour times to two hundred times the diameter of the optical pipe of thefiber-optic conductor.

In preferably preferred embodiments of the invention, the high strengthdata transmission cable comprises a flow shield, where the combinationof the flow shield and the exterior surface of the solid, flexible layer3 surrounding the core and the optical fibers conform to the interiorcavity wall of the surrounding strength member of the cable, thestrength member preferably being a hollow braided strength member. Insome embodiments of the high strength data transmission cable theinterface between the solid, flexible layer 3 surrounding the core andthe surface of the core has a form that is non-conforming to theinterior cavity wall of the strength member. In some such embodimentsthe interface between the solid, flexible layer 3 surrounding the coreand the surface of the core has a form lacking convex depressions, whenviewed from exterior the core (e.g. outwardly from the core).

In some embodiments the high strength data transmission cable comprisesmultiple fiber-optic conductors preferably each fiber-optic conductor isentirely encased within the solid, flexible material forming the surfaceof the core (or entire core) and the solid, flexible material formingthe layer 3. Preferably no fiber-optic conductor's exterior directlycontacts any other fiber-optic conductor's exterior at any point alongthe length of core-cable.

In another aspect, the invention sets forth a process for producing ahigh strength data transmission cable, the process comprising the stepsof

(i) situating in spiraling helical fashion at least one fiber-opticconductor about a core comprising thermoplastic material that forms atleast the surface of the core;(ii) next; situating additional thermoplastic material about thecombination of the core and the at least one fiber-optic conductor thatis helically disposed about core, so as to entirely encase thefiber-optic conductor within thermoplastic material;(iii) next, permitting the thermoplastic materials to set, therebyforming a core-cable (10);(iv) next; forming a flow shield about the core-cable;(v) next, forming a hollow braided strength member comprising syntheticmaterial about the core-cable sheathed by the flow shield; followed bysubjecting the resultant cable to tension, and to heat sufficient topermit permanent deformation of the thermoplastic material comprisinglayer 3 while not causing failure of the structural integrity of layer3, while also to permit elongating and compacting said resultant cableand the strength member comprising said resultant cable;(vi) next, determining that a desired amount of elongation andcompaction of the resultant cable and the strength member comprisingsaid resultant cable has been achieved, followed by cooling theresultant cable to a temperature where the thermoplastic materialcomprising layer 3 is incapable of being permanently deformed withoutcausing failure of the structural integrity of layer 3, therebypermanently elongating and compacting the strength member as well as theresultant cable and causing the layer 3 in combination with the flowshield to conform to the interior cavity wall of the strength member.The process for producing the high strength data transmission cable ischaracterized by the steps of:a. providing a core, and preferably a core containing thermoplasticmaterial and preferably having an exterior surface layer formed ofthermoplastic material, and optionally containing any conductors and/orother elements within the core;b. situating at least one and up to several fiber-optic conductors inhelix form about the exterior of the core;c. optionally, but most preferably, providing additional fixationbetween the core and the fiber-optic conductors that form a helix aboutthe core;d. situating additional thermoplastic material about the combination ofthe core and the fiber-optic conductors helixing about the core so as toencase the fiber-optic conductors between the core and the thermoplasticmaterial;e. forming a flow shield about the combination of the core; thefiber-optic conductors helixing about the core; and the thermoplasticmaterial situated around the combination of the core and the fiber-opticconductors helixing about the core;f. forming a preferably braided strength-member jacket layer ofpolymeric material about the flow shield and the items contained withinit;g. situating in flowable state about the strength member jacket layer asettable elastic adhesive such as multicomponent blend polyurethane;and,h. forming a protective cover about the strength member jacket layer andthe elastic adhesive substance, thus forming an improved high-strengthlight-weight crush-resistant high-data-resolution power-capable fibercable of the present disclosure.

Most preferably, the core's thermoplastic material and the additionalthermoplastic material are selected so that a bond formed by and between(a) a solid phase of the additional thermoplastic material; and, (b) asolid phase of the thermoplastic material forming the core and/or atleast forming the exterior of the core, is so strong that the twothermoplastic materials cannot be separated. That is, they cannot becleanly broken from one another, but any attempt to do so would resultin an uneven break that fails to produce a structure having exclusivelyeither the additional thermoplastic material and/or having exclusivelythe core without some portion of the additional thermoplastic material.The bond preferably is an inseparable bond. Yet more preferably, theadditional thermoplastic material and the thermoplastic material of thecore are the same thermoplastic material.

Yet even more preferably, the additional thermoplastic material forms astrong bond with the material forming the exterior layer of thefiber-optic conductors. Yet even more preferably, both the thermoplasticmaterial forming the core and/or forming at least the exterior surfaceof the core; and the additional thermoplastic material, both form astrong bond with material forming the outermost layer of the fiber-opticconductors.

Next, and contrary to the state of the art and against the trend in theindustry for power and data capable crush resistant fiber cables formedwith synthetic polymer strength members, e.g. applicant's own prior artcables, and prior to the above disclosed production steps of: “g.situating in flowable state about the strength member jacket layer asettable elastic adhesive such as multicomponent blend polyurethane;and, h. forming a protective cover about the strength member jacketlayer and the elastic adhesive substance”, the present disclosures cableformed by the above disclosed steps (a) through (f) and lacking theprotective cover about the strength member jacket layer and the adhesivelayer that adheres such cover to the strength member jacket layer cannow be cold stretched. E.g. stretched at a temperature that issufficiently low that it does not cause the thermoplastic material tobecome molten. Tensions between fifteen to eighty percent of thestrength member jacket layer's maximal tensile force are considereduseful. Next, the cable can now be fitted with a protective cover, suchas a braided sheath that is adhered to the strength member jacket layerwith an elastic adhesive. Or, alternatively, and optionally, and alsoprior to the steps of: “g. situating in flowable state about thestrength member jacket layer a settable elastic adhesive such asmulticomponent blend polyurethane; and, h. forming a protective coverabout the strength member jacket layer and the elastic adhesivesubstance”, further and subsequent steps include heat depth stretchingthe cable formed by the above disclosed steps (a) through (f) andlacking the protective cover about the strength member jacket layer andthe adhesive layer that adheres such cover to the strength member jacketlayer, as follows:

(i). applying a first tension to the strength member jacket layer andthus by extension to all elements contained within the strength memberjacket layer (the strength member jacket layer and all elementscontained within it also optionally known herein as “the in-productioncable”);(ii). applying a heat to the present disclosures in-production cable,where such heat is selected so as to cause thermoplastic material withinthe present disclosures in-production cable to reach a molten, e.g.semi-liquid, phase. Optionally, and as experimentally determineddesirable or not, and contrary to the state of the art and against thetrend in the industry, the heat may be selected and applied so as tocause only a portion of the core to reach a molten phase, especially soas to be sufficient to cause a portion of the core most proximal theexterior of the in-production cable to reach a molten phase while beinginsufficient to cause a portion of the core most proximal thelongitudinal central axis of the in-production cable to reach a moltenphase. This can be accomplished by regulating both the temperature aswell as the time duration of exposure to heat, such as is accomplishedby pulling the in-production cable through an oven where the heat isbeing applied, regulating both the heat, the means of applying the heat,e.g. radiant heat with or without blown air or steam heat or other, aswell as the speed of travel of the rope through the oven and the lengthof the oven, until a recipe and/or formula is experimentally arrived atfor a particular in-production cable diameter and construction thatpermits making molten only those portions of the thermoplastic in thecable proximal the cables exterior while not making molting/beinginsufficient to cause to change to a molten phase those portions ofthermoplastic in the cable that are proximal the longitudinal centralaxis of the cable. In this way, for example, the core 1 may remainsolid, while the additional thermoplastic layer 3 may reach moltenphase, during rope processing.(iii). applying a tension to the strength member jacket layer of thein-production cable sufficient to elongate the hollow braided strengthmember jacket layer and structures contained within the hollow braidedstrength member jacket layer (such as the helix shape(s) formed byoptical fiber(s)) a predetermined amount that is an amount that does notcause failure of the fiber-optic conductors and that also removesconstructional elongation from the strength member jacket layer whilealso reducing its diameter and the diameter of the in-production cable;(iv). determining that a desired amount of elongation of, and preferablya predetermined amount of elongation of, at least, the strength memberjacket layer, is reached;(v). cooling the strength member jacket layer and elements containedwithin it, preferably while maintaining tension on the strength memberjacket layer and thus also maintaining tension on elements containedwithin it, e.g. within the “in production cable”, until thethermoplastic material contained within the strength member jacket layerreaches a solid phase and also so that the combination of elementscontained within the strength member jacket layer have been formed to ashape that conforms and adapts to the natural form of the walls formedby the interior cavity of the hollow braided strength member, and,preferably but optionally, also so that as a result the opticalconductors contained within the cooled in production cable haveexperienced an amount of contraction and/or reduction of their length,by about zero point five percent, or less, but it can be more;(vi). applying any further items or substance to the exterior surface ofthe strength member jacket layer, such as a flowable state ofPolyurethane or other elastic adhesive substance; followed by(vii), while the elastic adhesive substance is still in a flowable state(should such substance have been selected for use) forming a protectivecover about the strength member jacket layer and the layer of elasticadhesive substance and/or other item(s) situated exterior the strengthmember jacket layer, thereby forming an Improved high-resolutionsynthetic fiber strength-membered data transmission cable of the presentdisclosure.

So formed, the high strength data transmission cable of the presentdisclosure provides a much higher data signal quality and/or resolutionin comparison to known high strength data transmission cables, thuspermitting use of equipment presently in development but unable to beused with, for example, known data transmission cables, that permitsidentifying fish species and distinguishing between fish sizes, therebypermitting avoiding with the fishing gear non-target fish species andjuvenile and undersize fish, thus improving the health of fisheries andthe marine mammals and seabirds and fishing communities that depend uponthem, accomplishing goals of the present disclosure.

Possessing the preceding advantages, the disclosed non-steel highstrength data transmission cable answers needs long felt in theindustry.

These and other features, objects and advantages will be understood orapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the followingdetailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in thevarious drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective plan view of a high strength data transmissioncable in accordance with the present disclosure that reveals variouslayers included in one embodiment thereof;

FIG. 1A is a side plan view of the high strength data transmission cableof FIG. 1, similarly revealing various layers thereof;

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show production step views for forming the core-cable10 of the high strength data transmission cable in accordance with thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 3A is a cross sectional view taken along section line 3A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4A is a cross sectional view taken along section line 4A of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 shows a side plan view of the core-cable 10 of FIG. 4 of the highstrength data transmission cable of FIG. 1 and FIG. 1A where the helixshaped fiber-optic conductors 2; as well as the first strength member 8,that are completely encased in thermoplastic material 1, 3, and thusalso are completely encased in the core-cable 10, are shown in dashedlines, imitating an “X-ray view”.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along section line 6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a side plan view depicting the profile of the core-cable 10after completion of heat and tension stretching steps of the highstrength data transmission cable (such steps occurring prior toinstallation of the outer cover 7 and adhesive layer 6), where thestrength member jacket layer 5 and the flow shield layer 4 have beenremoved from the drawing so as to permit viewing the core-cable 10, andwhere portions of the optical fiber conductors 2 encased within the core10 are shown in dashed lines.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the high strength data transmissioncable of FIG. 1 and FIG. 1A, also taken along section line 6 of FIG. 1and FIG. 1A, showing various layers of the high strength datatransmission cable 20, where the assembled high strength datatransmission cable was heat and tension stretched prior to installationof the adhesive layer 6 and final outer cover 7.

FIG. 9 and FIG. 9A are a perspective plan view and a side plan view,respectively, of an alternative embodiment of the high strength datatransmission cable of the present disclosure, revealing various layersthereof, where a coaxial cable has been included within the core 1 andthe core-cable 10.

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of the alternative high strength datatransmission cable of FIG. 9 and FIG. 9A, taken along section line 10 ofFIG. 9 and FIG. 9A, showing various layers of the final assembled highstrength data transmission cable 20, where the assembled final highstrength data transmission cable was heat and tension stretched prior toinstallation of the adhesive layer 6 and final outer cover 7.

FIG. 11 is a side plan view of a high strength data transmission cableof the present disclosure, showing various layers thereof, where alength of each fiber-optic conductor 2 has been torn out of thecore-cable 10, causing disruption of the layer 3 as well as of the layer1, the material of both layer 1 and of layer 3 having adhered to theexterior buffer/insulative layer of the fiber-optic conductors with anadherence force sufficient to cause at least portions of the material ofthe layer 1 to detach from other material of layer 1 and remain attachedto portions of the buffer/insulative layer of the fiber-optic conductor2 during and after tearing of a portion of the fiber-optic conductor 2from the layer 3 and thus from the core-cable 10 (thereby also forminggrooves into the core-cable 10 that used to be occupied by a combinationof a length of fiber-optic conductor 2 as well as portions of materialforming layer 1 and forming layer 3).

FIG. 12 is a cross section view of one type of fiber-optic conductor 2useful by way of example in forming the high strength data transmissioncable of the present disclosure, as viewed in a plane lyingperpendicular to the long axis of the fiber-optic conductor 2, andrevealing various layers and features comprising the fiber-opticconductor 2: including the core 41; the cladding 43; and the buffer 45(the buffer 45 also is known as the “buffer layer”, and/or as: the“coating”; or the “jacket”; or the “insulation). For purposes of thepresent disclosure, the combination of the core 41 and the cladding 43contained in any fiber-optic conductor used in forming any embodiment ofa high strength data transmission cable of the present disclosure form aunit known as the “optical pipe”, indicated in FIG. 12 by referencenumeral 22. For purposes of the present disclosure, the greatest widthof any optical pipe used in any fiber-optic conductor used in formingthe present disclosures high strength data transmission cable is hereinknown as the diameter of the optical pipe, and is derived by measuringthe distance along an imaginary straight line spanning the cross sectionof the optical pipe at its greatest width, as indicated in FIG. 12 byimaginary straight line 33.

FIG. 13 is a cross section view of another type of fiber-optic conductoruseful by way of example in forming the high strength data transmissioncable of the present disclosure, as viewed in a plane lyingperpendicular to the long axis of the fiber-optic conductor, andrevealing various layers and features of the fiber-optic conductor. Thefiber-optical conductor of FIG. 13 comprises similar layers and featuresas does the fiber-optic conductor of FIG. 12, including: core 41A;cladding 43A; and buffer 45 (the buffer 45 also is known as the “bufferlayer”, and/or as: the “coating”; or the “jacket”; or the “insulation),except that the fiber-optic conductor 2 of FIG. 13 additionallycomprises an additional cladding layer 47 that also is known as the“outer cladding” and/or as the “outer cladding layer”, therefore alsocladding layer 43A also is optionally known as the “inner cladding”and/or “inner cladding layer”. For purposes of the present disclosure,the “optical pipe” of the fiber-optic conductor of FIG. 13 and of anyfiber-optic conductor used in forming any high strength datatransmission cable of the present disclosure also is formed by thecombination of the core and the cladding (which in the case offiber-optic conductor of FIG. 13 includes the inner and outer cladding43A and 47), as indicated by reference numeral 22A. For purposes of thepresent disclosure, the greatest width of any optical pipe used in anyfiber-optic conductor used in forming the present disclosures highstrength data transmission cable is herein known as the diameter of theoptical pipe, and is derived by measuring the distance along animaginary straight line spanning the cross section of the optical pipeat its greatest width, as indicated in FIG. 13 by imaginary straightline 33A.

FIG. 14 shows a perspective cross sectional view of an alternativecore-cable of the present disclosure taken in a plane lyingperpendicular to the long axis of the alternative core-cable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 and FIG. 1A show a high strength data transmission cable 20 ofthe present disclosure including: a core 1 comprising thermoplasticmaterial, and coupled to a first strength member 8 (see also FIG. 2); atleast one and preferably several fiber-optic conductors 2 helixing aboutthe core 1 (see also FIG. 3), that can be any type of useful fiber-opticconductor, although a single mode fiber-optic conductor has surprisinglybeen found preferable; additional thermoplastic layer 3 encompassing thehelically disposed fiber-optic conductors between layer 3 and theexterior surface of core 1 (see also FIG. 4); flow shield 4; strengthmember jacket layer 5; elastic adhesive layer 6; and protective outercover 7.

The core 1 preferably is formed of thermoplastic material. However, thecore 1 may include metallic and/or other conductors (not shown inFIG. 1) and/or other elements (not shown in FIG. 1) located within thecore, such as a coaxial energy and/or information cable (see elementsdepicted by reference numerals 21, 22 and 23 of FIG. 9, FIG. 9A, FIG. 10and FIG. 11, depicting a coaxial cable internal core 1); and/or such asa braided copper filament conductor and/or such as an electromagneticshield, as taught in our prior publications referenced above. Whateverportion of the core 1 is not occupied by items needed for the productionof and/or for the function of the high strength data transmission cablepreferably is formed of thermoplastic material. Whatever construction isused for the core 1, the exterior surface layer of the core 1 is formedof thermoplastic material and has a thickness in a range of about half amillimeter to about four millimeters, preferably about one and a halfmillimeters to about four millimeters, prior to any stretching steps.

Preferably, for all embodiments of the present disclosures high strengthdata transmission cable: core 1 has a circular cross section (although,less preferably, it can have an oval or quasi oval or quasi circular orelliptical cross section); and, when core 1 has a circular crosssection, the diameter of core 1 preferably ranges from thirty-two timesto two hundred sixty four times; and preferably from forty times tosixty-four times, the diameter of the optical pipe of a fiber-opticconductor used in forming the present disclosures high strength datatransmission cable. Such embodiments have surprisingly been shown toprovide for greater resolution of the data transmitted and are contraryto the known state of the art and trend in the industry as shown byexemplary example in our prior published patent applications. When core1 has a cross-section which is not perfectly circular, the diameter ofcore 1 being measured as the diameter at the largest width of thecross-section, preferably has a value within the above mentioned ranges.

In a particular preferred embodiment of the present disclosure's highstrength data transmission cable, the core 1 preferably is directlycoupled to the first strength member 8. This can be accomplished byforming the core 1 about the first strength member 8, such as byextruding a thermoplastic rod about a first strength member 8 (see FIG.2), or, alternatively, such as by first extruding a thermoplastic rod toform core 1 and subsequently braiding in hollow braid fashion about thethermoplastic rod a hollow braided multifilament first strength member 8such as can be accomplished using a conventional braiding machine. It ispresently preferred that core 1 be formed about the first strengthmember 8, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and that first strength member8 not contact the surface of core 1. It is presently preferred to use astrength member capable of retaining its integrity at temperatures up to120 Celsius, preferably up to 200 Celsius, and especially attemperatures up to 270 Celsius, such as an Aramid filament or such asstranded polyester filaments, for forming the first strength member 8.It presently is preferred that the strength member not be formed ofthermoplastic material.

However, and alternatively, in reference to FIG. 9 to FIG. 11, that showan alternate embodiment of the high strength data transmission cable ofFIG. 1 and FIG. 1A where a coaxial cable assembly has been includedwithin core 1 as indicated by elements 21, 22 and 23, when it is desiredto include a metallic conductor within the core 1, then the firststrength member 8 can be situated internal a braided metallic conductor21, and the combination of the braided metallic conductor 21 and thefirst strength member 8 then may be directly coupled to the core 1,preferably by extruding a thermoplastic layer 22 about the combinationof the braided metallic conductor 21 and the first strength member 8 soas to form a rod that defines core 1; and, further, an electromagneticshield 23 may be formed about the exterior of the thermoplastic layer22, such as by laying two opposing layer directions of copper filaments,where such electromagnetic shield 23 also may serve as a conductorand/or conductive loop, and then the thermoplastic layer forming theexterior of core 1 may be formed about the electromagnetic shield.

Fiber-optic conductors used in forming any high strength datatransmission cable of the present disclosure preferably have a bufferlayer exterior the cladding where such buffer layer is of sufficientthickness and is formed of sufficiently abrasion resistant material thatit can tolerate abrasion encountered during the production processwithout being entirely displaced in any location from the exteriorsurface of the cladding, and is capable of retaining its integrity attemperatures up to 200 Celsius, and especially at temperatures up to 250Celsius, and yet more especially at temperatures up to 270 Celsius; and,furthermore, where such buffer layer is comprised of a material thatincludes a blend of materials where one material of the blend is thesame thermoplastic material as used in forming layers 1 and/or 3, with apolyethylene or a nylon being preferred, where a combination of siliconewith a thermoplastic material presently is preferred. An example of sucha buffer layer is indicated by reference numeral 45 in FIG. 12 and FIG.13.

With reference to reference numeral 19 of FIG. 5, reference numeral 19indicating the pitch of the fiber-optic conductors helixing about thecore 1: the fiber-optic conductors preferably helix about the core 1with a pitch that is in a range of 160 times to 480 times; andpreferably 336 times to 480 times, the diameter of the optical pipe forat least one and preferably for all fiber-optical conductors formed intothe high strength data transmission cable.

With further reference to FIG. 5: For any embodiment of a high strengthdata transmission cable of the present disclosure, the additionalthermoplastic layer 3 preferably is formed so as to entirely cover theoutermost surfaces 15 of the fiber-optic conductors 2 with a layer 13 ofthermoplastic material having a thickness selected so that after finalproduction of the high strength data transmission cable the fiber-opticconductors remain encased in thermoplastic, even after the combinationof the core-cable 10 enclosed in flow shield 4 has, optionally butpreferably, been deformed through heat stretching as taught herein so asto conform to and support the internal cavity of the strength member 5(see FIG. 8).

With further reference to FIG. 5: for any embodiment of a high strengthdata transmission cable of the present disclosure: Preferably, whensituated around the core and the fiber-optic conductors helixing aboutthe core, the additional thermoplastic layer 3 has a thickness measuredfrom the exterior most edge 15 of a fiber-optic conductor to the surface17 of layer 3 of core-cable 10 that, preferably, is at minimum fourtimes, and can be in a range from four times to sixty-six times, thediameter of the optical pipe of that fiber-optic conductor. In otherterms, for any high strength data transmission cable of the presentdisclosure, preferably, the thickness of that portion of additionalthermoplastic layer 3 that is exterior the outermost edge 15 of thebuffer layer 45 of a fiber-optic conductor forming the high strengthdata transmission cable has a thickness in a range of from four times tosixty-six times the diameter of the optical pipe of that fiber-optic.

The flow shield sheath 4 can be any layer that stops and/or mainly stopsmolten (e.g. “semi-liquid”) phases of the thermoplastic material frompassing through the flow shield. While there are various possibleconstructions and methods for forming such flow shield, preferably, theflow shield is formed by braiding a sheath of fibers and or filamentshaving a softening temperature and/or melting temperature that is higherthan that of the thermoplastic material comprising the core-cable 10including the core 1 and the outer thermoplastic layer 3. A presentlypreferred flow shield is formed by braiding about the core cable ahollow-braided sheath of polyester fibers or filaments in such a fashionthat molten phases of the thermoplastic contained within the flowshield, in this case thermoplastic material comprising core-cable 10, isstopped and/or mainly stopped from passing through the flow shield. Itis the knowledge of those skilled in the art and the trend in theindustry of rope and cable manufacturing that when forming a protectivebraided wrap and/or cover designed to be a barrier that the braid angleof the braid strands forming the protective braided wrap is fromsixty-five degrees or greater, and especially in a range from sixty-fiveto eighty-five degrees, and that, the greater the braid angle, the moreimpenetrable the formed protective braided wrap and/or cover.

However, it has been found, surprisingly and unexpectedly, that greaterlongevity of the final produced data transmitting cable of the presentdisclosure is provided by forming a braided flow shield where the braidangle of the braid strands and/or yarns forming the flow shield islesser than sixty-five degrees, and more particularly preferably is in arange from sixty degrees to ten degrees. However, and not presentlypreferred, the flow shield's braid angle can be greater than sixtydegrees, but such is not presently preferred. (It is understood in theindustry that the “braid angle” of a braided sheath and/or of a braidedstrength member is the angle formed by and between the convergence of:(i) a single braid strand feeding off a spool of a braiding machine; and(ii) the longitudinal axis of the completed structure being braided. Byway of example, in reference to FIG. 9A, the braid angle of hollowbraided strength member 5 is an angle formed between the convergence of:(i) imaginary straight line 71 that is coaxial with the long dimensionof braid strands 73 forming strength member 5; and (ii) imaginarystraight line 75 coaxial with the final formed braided strength member5.)

Furthermore, it has surprisingly been found that when forming the flowshield from fibers and or strands, that greater longevity of the presentdisclosure's data transmitting cable is obtained when each of the braidstrands forming a braided flow shield is a strand formed of at least twoyarns, where each of the yarns is of a twisted construction, and wherethe twist ratio is such that the yarn is readily compressed into aflattened aspect ratio (e.g. has a greater width than it has heightand/or relief) when the braid strands formed of the at least two yarnsis compressed against the layer 3 of the core cable (10) duringformation of the braided flow shield about layer 3. A flattened or tapelike or film shaped strand and/or fiber may be used to form each braidstrand forming the flow shield 4, provide that the above range of braidangles are adhered to. Surprisingly, and contrary to the state of theart, it has been found that longevity of the flow shield and thus of thecable itself is of longer duration when the braid angle of a braidedflow shield is not the same braid angle as that of the strength member5, but, rather, the flow shield has a braid angle of greater value incomparison to the braid angle of strength member 5. However, lesspreferably, these two braid angles may be same, or, the flow shield'sbraid angle may be of lesser value, but this is not presently preferred.

When it is desired to enact the optional, but less preferred embodimentof the present disclosures high strength data transmission cable, byforming the high strength data transmission cable by omitting steps ofheating the cable until thermoplastic material in the core 1 and/orlayer 3 reaches a molten phase, that is contrary to the state of the artand against the trend in the industry, then the flow shield can beomitted and thus the flow shield is optional but not mandatory in suchembodiments, that also is contrary to the state of the art and againstthe trend in the industry.

The strength member jacket layer 5 preferably is formed of a super fibersuch as HMPE, and, when the option of heat stretching the high strengthdata transmission cable at or near the phase change temperature of thethermoplastic is selected, preferably is formed with a twenty-fourstrand carrier braiding machine so as to make a twenty-four strandhollow braided strength member jacket layer 5, especially for example a“2×24” strand construction and even more preferably a “3×24” strandconstruction, a twenty-four strand hollow braided construction for thestrength member being contrary to the state of the art and against thetrend in the industry which is to use a twelve strand carrier braidingmachine so as to make a twelve strand hollow-braided strength memberjacket layer 5. When it is chosen to heat and tension stretch the highstrength data transmission cable of the present disclosure, such step isdone prior to installation of the elastic adhesive layer 6 and the outercover 7, and is done in such a way as to result in the combination ofthe outer layer 3 of core-cable 10 and the flow shield 4 enclosingcore-cable 10 being deformed to adapt themselves to the internal cavityof the hollow braided strength member (and also cause core-cable 10 toadopt an undulating profile when viewed in plan view, see FIG. 7),while, most preferably, not deforming the layer of thermoplasticmaterial that is most exterior the core 1 and about which thefiber-optic conductors form their helix (see FIG. 8), which can bedetermined by forming the exterior layer of thermoplastic material ofcore 1 of a different color than the layer 3 of thermoplastic material,and determining whether or not their interface is deformed as a resultof the heat and tension stretching, the goal to be to removeconstructional elongation and to cause compaction of the strength memberwithout deforming the core 1, that is contrary to the state of the artand against the trend in the industry exemplified by our prior patentapplications where the fiber-optic conductors were pressed into core 1as a result of the stretching steps and/or heat and tension stretchingsteps.

Elastic adhesive layer 6 preferably is a type of polyurethane, such astwo or more component blended polyurethane, that preferably is appliedwhile in a flowable state to the exterior surface of the strength memberjacket layer just prior to formation of the protective cover 7 about thestrength member jacket layer. As a result, the elastic adhesive layer 6binds the strength member jacket layer to the protective cover.

Production Processes

The method for producing the present disclosures high strength datatransmission cable includes steps of:

-   -   (a). Step One: providing a flexible core 1 of solid material        (see FIG. 2), and preferably a core 1 coupled to a first        strength member 8 that is located internal and central the core        1, as shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 1A; and FIG. 2. The core 1 comprises        flexible solid thermoplastic material, and, when it contains no        other elements besides the first strength member 8, preferably        comprises, in addition to first strength member 8, only flexible        solid thermoplastic material (first strength member 8 itself        ideally formed of a non-thermoplastic material as described        supra). Core 1 preferably has a shape that is of a cable and/or        of a rod having a circular cross section; or a shape that is an        elongate object having a circular cross section viewed in a        plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of core 1.        Importantly, whatever elements may optionally be included within        core 1, such as for example a metallic electrical energy        conductor, core 1 has an exterior surface layer formed of        flexible solid thermoplastic material.    -   (b). Step Two: situating at least one and up to several        fiber-optic conductors 2 in helixing form about the exterior of        the core (see FIG. 3). This step may be accomplished by using a        winding machine, such as a machine that orbits about a central        point one or more bobbins and/or spools, where each spool        carries a wound spooled optic fiber conductor. The flexible core        1 is passed in continuous feed fashion through the central axis        of the winding machine, such as for example by being taken off a        take-off reel and being wound upon a take-up reel, preferably        with guides to keep the core 1 passing through the central        winding point of the winding machine that is situated along the        central axis of the winding machine. Care is taken to ensure        that the fiber-optic conductors are unwound from the bobbins        and/or spools in a direction that perpendicular or at least that        is more perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bobbins        and/or spools that it is parallel to such axis, so that not        rotation is imparted to the fiber-optic conductors. The        fiber-optic conductors, and thus the spools and/or bobbins, are        located equidistance apart (see FIG. 3A), and the fiber-optic        conductors are wound and situated on the thermoplastic surface        of core 1 (see also FIG. 3A). For example, if there are four        fiber-optic conductors, there are four spools and/or bobbins,        each situated ninety degrees apart. If there are three        fiber-optic conductors then there are likewise three spools        and/or bobbins, each situated one hundred twenty degrees apart.        If there are two fiber-optic conductors, then there are two        spools and/or bobbins, each spaced one hundred eighty degrees        apart. When only one fiber-optic conductor is used to form the        high strength data transmission cable of the present disclosure,        then, preferably, a strand and/or filament and/or fiber that is        not a fiber-optic conductor is also situated on core 1 in helix        fashion in the same location and by the same means and machinery        as would have been placed a second fiber-optic conductor if it        had been used, resulting in a helixing fiber-optic conductor and        a helixing strand that is not a fiber-optic conductor, that also        may be a strand of thermoplastic material or of, for example,        polyester. Yet more preferably, in the case when only one        fiber-optic conductor is used, then two strands and/or filaments        and/or fibers are situated in helix fashion about core 1, where        these three elements, e.g. the one fiber-optic conductor, and        the two strands and/or filaments and/or fibers that are not a        fiber-optic conductor, each are situated one hundred twenty        degrees apart and wound about core 1 by the same machinery and        methods used to wind about core 1 three fiber-optic conductors.        In this case, the two strands and/or filaments and/or fibers may        be a strand of thermoplastic material or of, for example,        polyester.    -   (c). Step Three: optionally, but most preferred, providing        additional fixation between the core and the fiber-optic        conductors that helix about the core;    -   (d). Step Four: situating additional thermoplastic material 3        about the combination of core 1 and fiber-optic conductors 2        helixing about core 1, so as to encase the fiber-optic        conductors between the core 1 and the thermoplastic material 3        (see FIG. 4), and allowing the additional thermoplastic material        3 to set, thereby completely encasing the helically disposed        fiber-optic conductors within a solid, flexible material formed        as a rod and/or cable, thus arriving at a core-cable 10 (see        also FIG. 5). Polyethylene and various forms of polyethylene are        suitable for the thermoplastic material of core 1 and layer 3.        This step may be accomplished by positioning downstream of the        above mentioned central winding point an extrusion head that        extrudes flowable thermoplastic material about the combination        of: the core 1 and anything coupled to the core 1, such as any        fiber-optic conductors helixing about core 1; and, any strands        and/or fibers and/or filaments helixing about core 1 (e.g. when        only one or in some cases when only two fiber-optic conductors        are used), and pulling and/or otherwise passing the “cable”        formed by this combination through the extrusion head while        (preferably pressure) extruding thermoplastic material to form        layer 3, preferably selecting a temperature for the molten        thermoplastic material as well as an extrusion pressure and time        that both causes a softening (but not liquefaction) of the        surface of thermoplastic exterior of core 1 while also causing        sufficient pressure to force the fiber-optic conductors        partially into the exterior thermoplastic surface of the        exterior of core 1 so that they “seat” into the surface of core        1, followed by permitting the thermoplastic material forming        layer 3 to set (while continuing the feeding of core 1), thus        forming resultant core-cable 10.

To further discuss the core-cable 10: FIG. 5 shows a side plan view ofwhat is the production phase of the core-cable 10 of the most preferredembodiment of the high strength data transmission cable in accordancewith the present disclosure (e.g. the core-cable that is the result ofSteps One through Four, especially mandatory steps Step One, Step Twoand Step Four, and preferably including optional Step Three) and priorto enclosing the core-cable within either the flow shield or thestrength member, and certainly prior to any chosen heat stretchingsteps) where the thermoplastic material forming core 1 as well as anythermoplastic material and/or elements forming core 1 as well as theadditional thermoplastic material forming layer 3 of the core-cable havebeen omitted from the drawing figure, excepting the peripheral outlineof the thermoplastic material forming layer 3, so as to make visible thehelix shaped fiber-optic conductors 2 that are completely encased inset, solid, flexible thermoplastic material. While FIG. 5 shows threefiber-optic conductors, one often is preferable, although any neededquantity may be used. Accordingly, shown in FIG. 5 is a core-cable 10comprising a fiber-optic conductor 2 disposed in a helix and entirelyencased in a flexible solid material.

Having discussed the core-cable 10 resultant of Steps One through Four,discussion resumes of subsequent production steps:

-   -   (e). Step Five: optionally, and in the event that it should be        desired to heat stretch the high strength data transmission        cable after adding the strength member, a subsequent step is        forming the flow shield 4 (see FIG. 6) about the core-cable 10        (preferably directly about the additional thermoplastic material        forming layer 3 situated around the combination of the core 1        and the fiber-optic conductors 2 helixing about the core);    -   (f). Step Six: forming a preferably braided strength-member        jacket layer 5 of polymeric material about the thermoplastic        material forming layer 3 (see FIG. 1), or, should the optional        step have been made of forming a flow shield 4 about layer 3,        then the strength member jacket layer is formed about the flow        shield and thus by extension all the items contained within the        flow shield; while ensuring that the fiber-optic conductors        remain intact, thus forming a high strength data transmission        cable of the present disclosure.

A preferred construction for the strength-member jacket layer is ahollow-braided construction, preferably where there are an equal numberof S and Z strands forming the hollow braid, where each main braidstrand preferably, has a flattened form. Each such braid strandpreferably has a width that is at minimum two times its height,especially when in the formed hollow braided strength-member jacketlayer. Each such braid strand preferably also is comprised of multipleyarns. Preferably, each such braid strand comprises two yarns, whereeach of the yarns is not of a braided or parallel laid construction butpreferably is of a twisted/laid construction, especially with a longtwist and/or loose twist, according to industry standards for a loosetwist for HMPE and/or other fiber chosen. Importantly and preferably,each such yarn is formed sufficiently loosely constructed, e.g.sufficiently loosely twisted/laid, that the braiding tension applied bythe braiding apparatus deforms each such yarn into a flattened form,having a greater width in comparison to its height, in the finalproduced hollow braided strength-member jacket layer. In this way, thebraid strands adopt a flattened form having an aspect ratio greater thantwo to one. That is to say, because there are at minimum two yarnsforming each braid strand forming the strength-member jacket layer, andbecause each such yarn has a similar height and width as other suchyarns forming the single braid strand, and because each such yarnexhibits a greater width in comparison to its height after the braidingprocess, the final braid strand that is formed of the at minimum twoyarns must by extension have and/or define a flattened form having agreater width in comparison to its height and where its width is greaterthan and/or more than two times its height.

Contrary to the state of the art and against the trend in the industry,the high strength data transmission cable of the present disclosure maybe used at the state it is in at Step Six above, preferably afterapplying a protective cover that is adhered to the strength member withan elastic adhesive layer. However, this is not preferable. Mostpreferably, and contrary to the state of the art and against the trendof the industry, the high strength data transmission cable formed by themethods as taught above in Steps One through Six (and lacking theadhesive layer 6 and outer cover 7) is further processed with steps ofapplying to the high strength data transmission cable heat selected soas to be sufficient to, preferably, allow for deformation of thethermoplastic layer 3 without causing a change to the phase of thethermoplastic material comprising core 1; and yet more preferably, andalso contrary to the state of the art and against the trend of theindustry, also without causing a change to the phase of thethermoplastic material comprising layer 3 and/or the high strength datatransmission cable (e.g. so as to preclude said thermoplastic fromchanging phase from solid phase to a molten phase and/or liquid phase),combined with steps of stretching the cable a predetermined amount so asto permanently elongate and permanently compact the strength memberjacket layer and the core-cable 10 especially so as to reducing both itsdiameter as well as the diameter and/or average thickness of the entirethe high strength data transmission cable (lacking its adhesive layer 6and outer cover 7), followed by cooling the high strength datatransmission cable (lacking its adhesive layer 6 and outer cover 7)preferably while maintaining a sufficient tension on the cable so as tomaintain its elongation and compaction, so that the combination of theouter portion of thermoplastic layer 3 combined with the flow shield 4adapt a form that conforms to and supports the natural interior cavitywall surface of the hollow braided strength member, while retaining thepredetermined amount of elongation and compaction so as to permanentlyelongate and permanently compact and permanently reduce the diameter ofthe cable. Contrary to the state of the art and against the trend in theindustry, as exemplified by our own prior patent applications, theamount of heat, tension, and time in one preferred embodiment preferablyis selected so as to cause the combination of the thermoplastic layer 3and the flow shield 4 to deform so as to adapt to the natural shape ofthe interior cavity wall of the hollow braided strength member 5 while,most preferably: (i) not displacing the fiber-optic conductors 2; (ii)precluding the fiber-optic conductors 2 from displacing the material ofcore 1 from its position prior to the heating and stretching steps incomparison to its position after the heating and stretching steps; and,(iii) precluding the fiber-optic conductors from becoming intertwinedwith core 1 in comparison to their position relative to core 1 prior tothe heating and stretching steps.

The next step in the production of the high strength data transmissioncable can then be covering the strength member jacket layer with theprotective cover 7 that, preferably, is adhered to the strength memberjacket layer by the elastic adhesive layer 6.

So formed, the high strength data transmission cable of the presentdisclosure provides a much higher data signal quality and/or resolutionin comparison to known high strength data transmission cables, thuspermitting use of equipment presently in development but unable to beused with known high strength data transmission cables, that permitsidentifying fish species and distinguishing between fish sizes, therebypermitting avoiding with the fishing gear non-target fish species andjuvenile and undersize fish, thus improving the health of fisheries andthe marine mammals and seabirds and fishing communities that depend uponthem, accomplishing goals of the present disclosure.

It is surprising and unexpected that by combining steps of, firstly:providing additional fixation between the core and the optic fibershelixing around the core, that is fixation beyond what fixation isobtained by helixing the optic fibers around the core 1, with steps of,secondly, and subsequently, situating the additional thermoplasticmaterial 3 so as to completely encase the helixing optic fibers 2 withinthermoplastic material, where the thermoplastic material of the core 1also forms the surface of the core 1 and is compatible with and forms atight and preferably inseparable bond with the thermoplastic materialused to form additional thermoplastic material layer 3, and preferablyis the same material as the thermoplastic material of layer 3, followedby permitting the thermoplastic of layer 3 to set and/or cool, thusforming the core-cable 10, followed by forming the polymeric strengthmember jacket layer, preferably of HMPE fibers around layer 3 (and anyoptional flow shield), that even without heat stretching withtemperatures sufficient to cause the thermoplastic of either or bothcore 1 and layer 3 to reach a molten phase, that a superior signalresolution transmitting high resolution high strength data transmissioncable is formed.

The key step of providing additional fixation between the core 1 and thefiber-optic conductors that helix about the core 1 can be accomplishedin any suitable fashion that causes the fiber-optic conductors to resistsliding along the core 1, and especially in any suitable fashion thatstops the fiber-optic conductor from sliding along the core 1 and/orthat maintains the originally formed helix form of the fiber-opticconductors so that the helix form of the fiber-optic conductors is notaltered during further processing steps including but not limited to thestep of situating the additional thermoplastic material 3 about thefiber-optic conductors and the core 1 so as to completely encase thefiber-optic conductors within thermoplastic material.

In other terms, the fixation between the fiber-optic conductors and thecore about which they are situated is increased, so as to provide aresistance to sliding along the core and/or to alteration of the helixshape of the fiber-optic conductors that is greater than is provided bythe mere fact the fiber-optic conductors are situated in helix fashionabout the core. Examples include:

1. situating a tacky substance such as an adhesive substance on theexterior surface of the core prior to wrapping the fiber-opticconductors about the core in helix fashion. The tacky substance could besituated by passing the core through a bath of such tacky substance thatdoes not dry too quickly, or, by spraying or rolling or brushing suchsubstance onto the core. The substance should be compatible with moltenphases of the thermoplastic selected for the thermoplastic core and forthe additional thermoplastic material forming the layer 3.2. taping the fiber-optic conductors into place onto the core aboutwhich they helix, such as by binding the fiber-optic conductors intoplace with two-way tape.3. heating the fiber-optic conductors prior to helixing them about thecore so that the combination of their temperature and the tension on thefiber-optic conductors while helixing them onto the core cause thefiber-optic conductors to displace some of the material on the surfaceof the core and form a depressed track such as a groove track on thesurface of the core within which lie at least a portion of the width ofthe helixed fiber-optic conductors.4. heating the core or at least the surface of the core prior tohelixing the fiber-optic conductors about the core so that thecombination of the heat and the tension on the fiber-optic conductorswhile helixing them onto the core cause the fiber-optic conductors todisplace some of the material on the surface of the core and form adepressed track such as a groove track on the surface of the core withinwhich lie at least a portion of the width of each fiber-optic conductor.5. spraying or otherwise situating an adhesive substance onto thefiber-optic conductors prior to helixing them about the core so that thefiber-optic conductors become adhered to the core and resist movingalong the length of the core.6. spraying or otherwise situating an adhesive substance onto thecombination of the fiber-optic conductors and the core after helixingthe fiber-optic conductors about the core so that the fiber-opticconductors become adhered to the core and resist moving along the lengthof the core.7. as presently preferred, the method of providing additional fixationbetween the core and the fiber-optic conductors helixing about the coreis to pass the core that already has the fiber-optic conductors situatedabout it in helix form through a heating element that uses heat, such asradiant heat, at a temperature and exposure duration sufficient to causeexcitement of the (preferably thermoplastic) surface of the core,followed by permitting the combination of the core and the fiber-opticconductors to reach a cooler temperature than it reached within theheating element, and especially a temperature at which the thermoplasticis in a solid phase, followed by situating the additional thermoplasticmaterial about the combination of the core and the fiber-opticconductors helixing about the core.

After the step of providing additional fixation between the fiber-opticconductors helixing about the core and the core has been accomplished,the step of situating the additional thermoplastic material forminglayer 3 about the combination of the core 1 and the fiber-opticconductors helixing about the core preferably is enacted. To accomplishthis step, it has surprisingly and unexpectedly been discovered that itis preferable to use a type of extrusion known as pressure extrusion.After the additional thermoplastic material forming layer 3 has beensituated so as to result in completely encasing the fiber-opticconductors within the thermoplastic of layer 3 with the thermoplastic ofat least the surface of the core 1, the next step is to form the flowshield about the thermoplastic layer 3, followed by the subsequentproduction steps taught supra for forming the strength member jacketlayer, the elastic adhesive layer and the protective cover.

Alternative Core Embodiments

FIG. 14 shows a perspective cross sectional view of an alternativecore-cable 110 of the present disclosure taken in a plane perpendicularto the long axis of the alternative core-cable 110. As shown,alternative core-cable 110 includes a variant of core-cable 10 thatincludes a coaxial cable 111 contained within core-cable 10, andadditionally includes several additional conductors 112 that are encasedwithin a solid, flexible material 114, preferably a solid, flexiblethermoplastic material, that preferably is a same thermoplastic as thatforming layer 3 of core-cable 10. As shown, the several additionalconductors 112 are situated external core-cable 10. Most preferably,flow shield 4 has been formed about and sheaths core-cable 10, and mostpreferably the several additional conductors 112 are situated bothexternal core-cable 10 as well as external the flow shield 4 thatsheaths core-cable 10. The several additional conductors 112 preferablyare parallel laid about core-cable 10, but may be twisted.

A presently preferred method for forming alternative core-cable 110includes steps of:

A) providing a finished core-cable 10 produced as described supra andsheathed within flow shield 4;B) providing several rods 116 where each rod comprises a conductor 112encased in the solid, flexible material 114 that preferably is the samethermoplastic material as forming layer 3, and where each rod 116 itselfis sheathed within a flow shield 117, where the flow shield 117preferably is formed of tightly braided polyester fibers and/orfilaments that preferably are braided in hollow braided fashion, butalso can be any layer that stops and/or mainly stops molten (e.g.“semi-liquid”) phases of the thermoplastic material from passing throughthe flow shield;C) situating a desired quantity of the rods 116, preferably in parallellay fashion, about the core-cable 10, thereby forming alternativecore-cable 110; andD) situating a flow-shield 4A about the core-cable 110, where the flowshield 4A preferably is formed of tightly braided polyester fibersand/or filaments that preferably are braided in hollow braided fashion,but also can be any layer that stops and/or mainly stops molten (e.g.“semi-liquid”) phases of the thermoplastic material from passing throughthe flow shield.

While the rods 116 may have any cross sectional shape, it presently ispreferred that the rods 116 themselves are formed with and thus have atapered cross sectional shape 118 (viewed in a plane perpendicular tothe long dimension of any such rod 116), such as for example a truncatedwedge, so as to facilitate their position in parallel lay fashion aboutcore-cable 10.

Preferably, each conductor 112 is attached to a strength member (notshown) prior to being enclosed within a sheath and/or other layer ofthermoplastic material, such as by being attached to a fiber and/orfilament of HMPE or Aramid, such as by being formed of hollow braidedcopper and/or other metallic filaments about the strength member, wheresuch strength member preferably has a higher softening point and/ordegeneration temperature in comparison to the solid, flexible material114

After the flow shield 4A has been formed about the exterior of thealternative core-cable 110, then the remainder of the productionprocesses as taught above that occur after formation of the flow shield4 for core-cable 10 are enacted in like fashion for alternative corecable 110, so as to arrive at an alternative variant of the presentdisclosures cable that may, for example, be used as a kit rope toconnect floating vessels to kites that are used to provide sail power tosuch vessels.

Methods for Use

With reference to FIG. 11: in order to use the present disclosureselongation and heat indicating data transmission cable it must beconnected to an interrogator or other equipment, such as the sonar, forwhich it is necessary to expose the fiber-optic connectors. Thispreferably may be accomplished by, firstly, removing portions of thecover 7, adhesive layer 6, strength member 5 and any flow shield 4, soas to result in the core-cable 10 extending and/or protruding outwardfrom a surface 44 formed by the cut edges of the cover, adhesive layer,strength member and flow shield; secondly, by heating the outer surfaceof layer 3 of the protruding portion of the core-cable ten (preferablyheating its most distal end 51), as can for example be accomplished bydirecting a stream of heated air from an air gun at a certainfiber-optic conductor visible through the preferably translucentthermoplastic layer 3 forming the exterior surface of core-cable 10 fora sufficient duration of time so as to soften the thermoplastic materialdirectly contacting the selected certain fiber-optic conductor; followedby digging the fiber-optic conductor out of the layer 3, such as may beaccomplished by probing alongside it with sharp nosed pliers ortweezers, then grabbing the fiber-optic conductor at its distal end 61;followed by gently tearing the selected certain fiber-optic conductoroutward from the softened thermoplastic layer 3 of core-cable 10;followed by pausing and heating the next region of thermoplastic layer 3of core-cable 10 that is exterior the remaining encased portions of theselected certain fiber-optic conductor; followed by continuing to tearout of core-cable 10 the selected certain fiber-optic conductor untilsufficient length of such fiber-optic conductor has been exposed andwithdrawn from core-cable 10 to permit its being spliced to anotherfiber-optic conductor that couples the fiber-optic conductor forming thehigh strength data transmission cable to other fiber-optic conductorsconnecting to other equipment. When the data transmission cable alsoincludes a coaxial cable or energy conductor, such also is extended fromthe core-cable 10 as shown in FIG. 11 to make it accessible forconnection to other equipment.

Methods for Use:

The method for using the present disclosures embodiment that includesusing Brillouin scattering and Raman backscattering to determine heatand elongation of certain predetermined zones and/or length portions ofthe cable core and thus of the cable comprises using a suitableinterrogator and/or interrogators to read the Brillouin scatteringand/or Raman backscattering; and then to determine, when using Brillouinscattering, the location along the optical fiber where a disturbanceand/or anomaly is detected, using known means; and to determinetemperature at said zone(s) and/or length portion(s), with Ramanbackscattering, also using known means; next, to use the temperaturevalue obtained by interpreting the Raman backscattering in order toascertain the elongation of the optical fiber transmitting the Brillouinscattering wavelengths at said predetermined zone and/or length portionalong the length of the cable; next, using the determined elongation ofan optical fiber to determine the elongation at said predetermined zoneand/or length portion of the helical structure formed by the opticalfiber, such as can be mathematically determined taking into account thediameter of the optical fiber forming the helical structure as well asthe helical structures pitch and its interior diameter, therebydetermining the elongation of the cable itself at said predeterminedzone and/or length portion along the length of the cable as theelongation of the helical structure equates to the elongation of thefinished cable itself at any particular zone and/or length portion alongthe length of the cable, thereby permitting monitoring and determiningthe elongation of the finished cable and/or o specific key portions ofthe cable without needing to position remote sensors and/or ROVs alongthe entire length of the, and permitting determining whether to continueor discontinue the cables use.

To determine the cables elongation in industrial application withoutfirst calibrating the finished cable itself, the Raman backscatteringand also the Brillouin scattering light energy is monitored and readduring use of the cable; the read Brillouin scattering values arecorrelated to a database that indicates what is the elongation of theoptical fiber transmitting the Brillouin scattering at specifictemperatures and/or ranges of temperature for those read wavelengthvalues, thereby determining the elongation of the Brillouin scatteringoptical fiber for the specific temperature determined by monitoring andreading the Raman backscattering; next, using the determined elongationof the Brillouin scattering optical fiber to determine the elongation ofthe helical structure formed by the Brillouin scattering optical fiber,such as can be mathematically determined taking into account thediameter of the optical fiber 2, the elongation of the optical fiber 2forming the helical structure, the helical structures pitch and itsinterior diameter, thereby determining the elongation of the helicalstructure itself, that determines the elongation of the finished cableitself, thereby permitting monitoring and determining the elongation ofthe finished cable without needing to monitor water and/or airtemperature, and permitting determining whether to continue ordiscontinue the cables use prior to a catastrophic rupture.

Methods of Determining Heat and Elongation of the Cable:

In some cases, it may be desired to verify the accuracy of thecalibration provided by the manufacturers and/or providers of theoptical fibers used with the Raman backscattering readings and theBrillouin scattering optical fibers, or, to account for how thosecalibration values may have been altered by the present disclosurescables production process, if at all. In such case, a portion of thefinished cable having the optical fiber used for the Brillouinscattering readings and the optical fiber that is used for the Ramanbackscattering readings may be experimentally calibrated by subjectingthe finished cable to a predetermined range of temperatures andelongating the cable to various elongation values at each temperature,and taking the Brillouin scattering and Raman backscattering readingswhile the portion of cable is at each specific predetermined temperatureand each specific elongation value, thereby either calibrating and/orverifying the accuracy of the calibration provided by the manufacturersand/or providers for the Raman backscattering temperature determinationsand for the Brillouin scattering elongation determinations.

In more detail: When it is feasible and desired to experimentallycorrelate cable elongation and temperature to Brillouin scatteringreadings and Raman backscattering readings, a method for using thepresent disclosures elongation and heat indicating data-capable fibercable includes: (i) subjecting a predetermined length of a finishedcable to a range of predetermined temperatures at a range ofpredetermined elongation values for the cable; and (ii) reading thewavelengths returning to and transmitting through the Brillouinscattering fiber optic(s), and also reading the Raman backscatteringfrom at least one of the optical fibers, for each specific combinationof a specific temperature and a specific elongation value; (iii)recording the readings, thereby forming a database that correlates theBrillouin scattering wavelength readings as well as the Ramanbackscattering readings for a specific cable formed according to thepresent disclosure when that cable is at a specific temperature andexperiencing a specific elongation. Although the length of cable maysimultaneously be subjected to the temperature and tension, due to thefact that it is important to ensure that all portions of the length ofcable have reached the specific temperature, it is presently preferredto subject the cable to each specific temperature without much tensionuntil it surely has reached the specific temperature at all portions ofthe length of cable, and then to subject the cable to sufficient tensionso as to achieve a desired elongation. For example, the cable mayfirstly be subject to a specific temperature for a sufficient period oftime so as to ensure that the length of cable is at the specifictemperature throughout the body of the length of cable, as may bedetermined by probing into the cable with temperature probes while thecable is not under high tension; then, the cable is subject to tensionuntil it reaches a specific elongation; then, transmitting certainwavelengths of light energy through the Brillouin scattering opticalfibers and reading the light signals that transmit along the entirelength of the optic fiber as well as those that return to theoriginating end of the optical fiber (e.g. that were returned back by aBrillouin scattering), and also transmitting light energy through anoptical fiber that allows Raman backscattering readings; recording theread light energy and/or wavelength values, thereby creating a databasethat correlates Raman backscattering readings to certain temperaturesand that also correlates specific light energy and/or wavelength valuesfor a specific Brillouin scattering optical fiber in a specific cableconstruction that is at a certain elongation and at a certaintemperature. Finally, using the cable in industrial application, whilemonitoring the temperature via Raman backscattering readings and alsoreading Brillouin scattering readings, and correlating the temperaturevalues ascertained from the Raman backscattering readings to thewavelength values ascertained from the Brillouin scattering opticalfiber readings so as to determine the cable's elongation for specificBrillouin scattering wavelengths corresponding to specific zones of thecable (it being known how to use Brillouin scattering in order todetermine where along the length of an optical fiber is the readBrillouin wavelength originating from, e.g how far from the interrogatoris the read wavelength originating from, this being a main value ofusing Brillouin scattering). This way, the elongation and heatindicating data-capable fiber cable of the present disclosure is able tobe used to monitor both cable temperature as well as cable elongationand/or creep, at specific zones and/or length portions along the lengthof the cable. By comparing the elongation and/or creep to what is knownto be acceptable limits at certain loads, for certain loads determinedby load cells, the relative integrity of the strength member formed ofsuperfibers can be determined, and a decision taken as to whether or notcontinue to use or discontinue use of the cable, prior to a catastrophicfailure of the cable.

To obtain an accurate elongation measurement for a portion of a lengthof a cable by disposing a Raman backscattering wavelength transmissioncapable optical fiber conductor in a helix form and firmly affixed toand interior of the monitored cable rather than in a “loose tube”configuration (“loose tube” configuration includes any constructionwhere the optical fiber conductor, including its buffer and/orinsultation formed integral with the optical fiber conductor, is able toslide relative to its immediately surrounding objects such as, in thecase of a cable or rope, fibers or strands or the core of the cable orrope, or even other optical fiber conductors within the cable or rope),in combination with a distinct other optical fiber capable of being usedto read Brillouin scattering and where the distinct other optical fiberalso is disposed in a helix form and firmly affixed to and interior ofthe monitored cable rather than in a “loose tube” configuration, andthen using heat value readings from the Raman capable optical fiber incalculation with readings taken from the Brillouin capable optical fiberin order to obtain elongation values for the Brillouin capable opticalfiber, is contrary to the state of the art and against the trend in theindustry and surprisingly and unexpectedly allows useful monitoring ofheat and/or elongation.

Furthermore, to dispose a Raman backscattering wavelength transmissioncapable optical fiber in a helix form and firmly affixed to a coreinterior a monitored cable rather than in “loose tube” configurationand/or otherwise able to slide relative to other components of thecable, in combination with a distinct other optical fiber capable ofbeing used to read Brillouin scattering and where the distinct otheroptical fiber also is disposed in a helix form and also is firmlyaffixed to a core interior the monitored cable, and to suspend and/orcompletely encase both optical fibers each in its helix shape and eachfirmly affixed to and within a core formed of a solid flexible materialinside a load bearing cable, and to use heat values obtained byinterpretation of the Raman backscattering readings in combination withdata obtained from the Brillouin scattering in order to permitcalculating elongation of the optical fiber transmitting the Brillouinscattering wavelengths, and then by mathematical calculation taking intoaccount the helical shape of the optical fiber carrying the Brillouinscattering wavelengths to calculate elongation of the helical structureformed by such fiber in a monitored region of the cable and therebyascertain elongation of the cable in the monitored region of the cable,is contrary to the state of the art and against the trend in theindustry and surprisingly and unexpectedly allows useful monitoring ofheat and/or elongation of the cable.

Having determined the elongation of the cable and/or of a predeterminedzone and/or length portion along the length of the cable using the abovetaught methods, it is possible to calculate the tension load on thecable and/or on the predetermined zone and/or length portion along thelength of the cable. This can be done by correlating the elongationvalue with a data base that correlates percentage elongation values fora particular cable construction to various tensile loads on the cable.Thus, by knowing either the cables elongation or its load, the othervalue is able to be determined. Therefore, having calculated the cableselongation, either for the cable as a whole or for a particular zoneand/or length portion along the length of the cable, the load on thecable can be determined.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The data transmission cable of the present disclosure may be used as acrane rope/cable; as a deep sea deployment rope/cable; as a headlinesonar cable and also may also be used to connect to and communicate withand, when a metallic power conductor 21 is included, provide power tosonar units located at other regions of the trawl in addition to theheadline, and can for example serve as a sonar cable for sonar unitsmounted on the trawl's midsection, bag or belly/codend. The datatransmission cable also can also be deployed from a trawler's main warpdrums and serve a double purpose, e.g. as a trawler warp as well as aheadline sonar cable, and thus for example communicate with a headlinesonar or other device in the fishing gear through a trawler warp ratherthan through a dedicated headline sonar cable.

The data transmission cable of the present disclosure also is able toserve as a high strength data cable for trawler warps, and thus forexample communicate with a headline sonar or other device in the fishinggear through a trawler warp rather than through a dedicated improvedhigh-resolution power-capable crush resistant fiber cable, and also thatis capable of being used as a towing warp, a deep sea winch line, acrane rope, a seismic line, a deep sea mooring line, a well bore line,an ROV tether or ROV line, a superwide for seismic surveillance, or as aload bearing data and/or energy cable, as a lead-in cable for towedseismic surveillance arrays, and/or energy cable. When used as a wellbore line and/or well bore cable, it is anticipated useful to make thefinal outer cover of laid steel wire so as to armor the cable. However,in most other applications it is anticipated that the braided coveralready disclosed supra is most useful. When used as a seismic Superwideor as a crane rope, or in any application requiring heat tolerance,including a well bore cable, it is anticipated useful that the strengthmember shall be formed of a hollow braided construction using a 24strand construction, that is contrary to the state of the art andagainst the trend in the industry, where most useful is anticipated tobe a 2×24 strand construction, or, even more preferably, a 3×24 strandconstruction, where each of the 24 strands is formed of an Aramid strandthat is ensheathed within a HMPE or PTFE or Polyester sheath, and thenthose strands are braided together into the hollow braided 24 strandconstructed strength member, that is preferably, at least a 2×24 strandor a 3×24 strand construction. When used in any application requiringany of heat tolerance, heat detection, elongation detection, or breakdetection, or detection of a region of the cable responsible for failureof any of the cable's ability to transmit data and/or energy, it isanticipated useful that the improved high-strength light-weightcrush-resistant high-data-resolution power-capable fiber cable of thepresent disclosure comprise for its optical fibers those selected from atype capable of being used with interrogators that read and interpretBrillouin scattering and/or Raman backscattering wavelengths, andspecifically with optical fibers capable of transmitting accuratelyinterpretable Brillouin scattering wavelengths and/or Ramanbackscattering wavelengths, so as to permit monitoring the elongationand/or heat of the optical fibers at any region along the length of theoptical. Thus, by transmitting light through the optical fibers in sucha fashion that permits reading Brillouin scattering and/or Ramanbackscattering, and interpreting the Brillouin and/or Raman wavelengthswith a suitable interrogator, the elongation and/or heat at specificlocations along the optical fiber being monitored may be determined andthus the elongation of the cable may be determined at specific locationsalong the cable; and thus the elongation of the cable's strength memberas well as its temperature may be determined at specific locations alongthe length of the cable; and thus the integrity of the cable's strengthmember is able to be determined and a determination made as to whetheror not the cable is suitable for continued use in a particularapplication or is better retired from that application and replaced.Importantly, prior attempts at using Brillouin scattering wavelengthsand/or Raman backscattering wavelengths monitor the elongation and/orheat of the optical fibers at any region along the length of the opticalfibers and/or cable containing the optical fibers have failed, and noneof the art has proposed the construction and method of the data cable ofthe present disclosure. Importantly, it has been the long held belief inthe industry and the trend in the industry to minimize bending of fiberoptic conductors contained within cables of any type, including but notlimited to yachting cables, including when using such fiber opticconductors to monitor heat and or elongation of both the fiber opticconductors and by extension of the cables containing them. It iscontrary to the state of the art and against the trend and commonly heldviews in the industry that a fiber optic conductor formed into a helicalshape and used to form the core of a cable in the manner andconstruction as taught herein is capable of transmitting high resolutiondata signals. The fact that the present invention's cable functions thisway is contrary to the widely held beliefs in the industry.

Further industrial application of the present disclosures teachings arein forming high strength synthetic strength membered ropes and cableshaving shaped supportive cores, where such ropes and cables are heatstretched in order to remove constructional elongation; compact thestrength member and cable itself, and, when materials used in formingthe strength member permit, to induce creep into fibers in the strengthmember so as to result in all fibers in the strength member carryingload.

A presently preferred means to form a high strength synthetic strengthmembered rope with a supportive, shaped core using teachings of thepresent disclosure is to: provide a core 1 comprising thermoplastic,such as a rod 1 comprising thermoplastic material (the core may or maynot contain conductors or other elements); then, to form a flow shield 4about said core, while using the novel teachings of the presentdisclosure to form such flow shield; followed by forming a hollowbraided strength member about the combination of the core and the flowshield (where the hollow braided strength member may be formed from mainbraid strands formed of HMPE, or formed of Aramid; or where each braidstrand may comprise an Aramid central strand or yarn or other cordagethat is sheathed by a sheath formed of HMPE or another material),thereby forming a cable; followed by steps of heating the cable untilthermoplastic material comprising the core softens and/or is molten,e.g. “semi-liquid”, but not actually liquid, and also stretching thecable (preferably under controlled tension or tensions) until apredetermined and/or desired amount of elongation of the strength memberand thus of the entire cable is achieved and until a desired compaction(reduction in overall width) of the cable and strength member isachieved while the thermoplastic material comprising the core is eithersoftened and/or molten; followed by cooling the cable until thethermoplastic material comprising the core is solid, while maintainingsufficient tension to retain the predetermined and/or desired amount ofelongation of the cable; the method characterized by the steps ofselecting to form the flow shield with steps comprising any or all ofthe following steps, either singly or in combination:

-   -   a) forming a braided flow shield where the braid angle of the        braid strands and/or yarns forming the flow shield is lesser        than sixty-five degrees, and more particularly preferably is in        a range from sixty degrees to ten degrees.    -   b) forming a braided flow shield where each of the braid strands        forming the braided flow shield is a strand formed of at least        two yarns.    -   c) forming a braided flow where each of the braid strands        forming the braided flow shield is a strand formed of at least        two yarns, and where each of the yarns is of a twisted        construction.    -   d) forming a braided flow where each of the braid strands        forming the braided flow shield is a strand formed of at least        two yarns, and where each of the yarns is of a twisted        construction, and where the lay directions is same for all yarns        forming the strand;    -   e) forming a braided flow where each of the braid strands        forming the braided flow shield is a strand formed of at least        two yarns, and where each of the yarns is of a twisted        construction, and where the twist ratio is such that the yarn is        readily compressed into a flattened aspect ratio (e.g. has a        greater width than it has height and/or relief) when the braid        strands formed of the at least two yarns is compressed against        the core during formation of the braided flow shield core.

Thus, the present disclosure teaches: A high strength synthetic ropeand/or cable have a supportive core 1 shaped to adapt to the internalcavity of a hollow braided strength member 5, the core 1 sheathed withina flow shield 4; the braided strength member 5 formed about thecombination of the core and the flow shield that sheaths the core; theflow shield formed of braided strands and in a hollow braidconstruction; and strength member formed of braided strands and in ahollow braid construction, the high strength synthetic rope and/or cablecharacterized by the fact that the strands forming the flow shieldcomprise a braid angle that is (i) different than a braid anglecomprised by the strands forming the strength member; and (ii), wherethe braid angle of the strands forming the flow shield further comprisea greater value in comparison to the braid angle of strands forming thestrength member.

Additionally:

-   -   a) the strands forming the braided flow shield comprise a braid        angle of the braid strands and/or yarns forming the flow shield        where such braid angle is lesser than sixty-five degrees, and        more particularly preferably is in a range from sixty degrees to        ten degrees.    -   b) each of the braid strands forming the braided flow shield is        a strand formed of at least two yarns.    -   c) each of the braid strands forming the braided flow shield is        a strand formed of at least two yarns, and where each of the        yarns is of a twisted construction.    -   d) each of the braid strands forming the braided flow shield is        a strand formed of at least two yarns, and where each of the        yarns is of a twisted construction, and where the lay directions        is same for all yarns forming the strand;    -   e) each of the braid strands forming the braided flow shield is        a strand formed of at least two yarns, and where each of the        yarns is of a twisted construction, and where the yarn is in a        flattened aspect ratio (e.g. has a greater width than it has        height and/or relief) about the core.

Additionally, the present disclosure teaches: A high strength syntheticrope and/or cable have a supportive core 1 shaped to adapt to theinternal cavity of a hollow braided strength member 5, the core 1sheathed within a flow shield 4; the braided strength member 5 formedabout the combination of the core and the flow shield that sheaths thecore; the flow shield formed of braided strands and in a hollow braidconstruction; and strength member formed of braided strands and in ahollow braid construction, the high strength synthetic rope and/or cablecharacterized by the fact that braid strands forming the braided flowshield comprise a strand formed of at least two yarns, and where each ofthe yarns is of a twisted construction, and where the yarn is in aflattened aspect ratio (e.g. has a greater width than it has heightand/or relief) about the core. (Any of the above taught novel featuresfor the construction of the flow shield also applies to this rope and/orcable).

Although the present disclosure has been described in terms of thepresently preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that suchdisclosure is purely illustrative and is not to be interpreted aslimiting. Consequently, without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe disclosure, various alterations, modifications and/or alternativeapplications of the disclosure are, no doubt, able to be understood bythose ordinarily skilled in the art upon having read the precedingdisclosure. Accordingly, it is intended that the following claims beinterpreted as encompassing all alterations, modifications oralternative applications as fall within the true spirit and scope of thedisclosure.

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A high strength cable capable of being monitoredfor heat and elongation, the cable comprising a length of a core-cable(10) and a hollow braided strength member comprising synthetic fibers,the length of core-cable (10) comprising at least two fiber-opticconductors (2) that each are: (i) disposed in a helix shape; and (ii)completely encased in a solid, flexible thermoplastic material; one ofthe fiber-optic conductors capable of transmitting at least Ramanbackscattering wavelengths, and the other fiber-optic conductor capableof transmitting at least Brillouin scattering wavelengths.
 12. Thecombination of the cable of claim 11 and an interrogator that can readand interpret Raman backscattering coupled to and communicating with thefiber optic conductor that is capable of transmitting at least Ramanbackscattering; and another interrogator that can read and interpretBrillouin scattering coupled to and communicating with the fiber opticconductor that is capable of transmitting at least Brillouin scattering.13. The cable of claim 11 wherein the fiber-optic conductors disposed ina helix shape are encased within the solid, flexible thermoplasticmaterial by being sandwiched and/or enclosed between: (a) a solid,flexible material layer comprising the surface of the core (1); and (b)a solid, flexible material layer comprising a layer (3) that is exteriorthe surface of core (1).
 14. The cable of claim 11 wherein the solid,flexible thermoplastic material layer comprising the surface of the core(1) and the solid, flexible thermoplastic material layer comprising thelayer (3) that is exterior the surface of core (1) are permanentlybonded to one another.
 15. The cable of claim 11 wherein the solid,flexible thermoplastic material layer comprising the surface of the core(1) and the solid, flexible thermoplastic material layer comprising thelayer (3) that is exterior the surface of core (1) each comprise anidentical substance and are permanently bonded to one another.
 16. Thecable of claim 11 wherein: (I) the solid, flexible thermoplasticmaterial layer comprising the surface of the core (1); (ii) the solid,flexible thermoplastic material layer comprising the layer (3) that isexterior the surface of core (1); and (iii) an exterior most layer (45)comprising each of the fiber-optical conductors are permanently bondedto one another.
 17. The cable of claim 11 wherein: (I) the solid,flexible thermoplastic material layer comprising the surface of the core(1); (ii) the solid, flexible thermoplastic material layer comprisingthe layer (3) that is exterior the surface of core (1); and (iii) anexterior most layer (45) comprising at least one fiber-optical conductoreach comprise an identical substance and are permanently bonded to oneanother.
 18. The cable of claim 12 wherein the fiber-optic conductorsdisposed in a helix shape are encased within the solid, flexiblethermoplastic material by being sandwiched and/or enclosed between: (a)a solid, flexible material layer comprising the surface of the core (1);and (b) a solid, flexible material layer comprising a layer (3) that isexterior the surface of core (1).
 19. The cable of claim 12 wherein thesolid, flexible thermoplastic material layer comprising the surface ofthe core (1) and the solid, flexible thermoplastic material layercomprising the layer (3) that is exterior the surface of core (1) arepermanently bonded to one another.
 20. The cable of claim 12 wherein thesolid, flexible thermoplastic material layer comprising the surface ofthe core (1) and the solid, flexible thermoplastic material layercomprising the layer (3) that is exterior the surface of core (1) eachcomprise an identical substance and are permanently bonded to oneanother.
 21. The cable of claim 12 wherein: (I) the solid, flexiblethermoplastic material layer comprising the surface of the core (1);(ii) the solid, flexible thermoplastic material layer comprising thelayer (3) that is exterior the surface of core (1); and (iii) anexterior most layer (45) comprising each of the fiber-optical conductorsare permanently bonded to one another.
 22. The cable of claim 12wherein: (I) the solid, flexible thermoplastic material layer comprisingthe surface of the core (1); (ii) the solid, flexible thermoplasticmaterial layer comprising the layer (3) that is exterior the surface ofcore (1); and (iii) an exterior most layer (45) comprising at least onefiber-optical conductor each comprise an identical substance and arepermanently bonded to one another.
 23. The cable of claim 11 where eachfiber-optic conductor is entirely encased within the solid, flexiblematerial forming the surface of core (1) and the solid, flexiblematerial forming the layer (3), and no fiber-optic conductor's exteriordirectly contacts any other fiber-optic conductor's exterior at anypoint along said length of core-cable (10).
 24. The cable of claim 12where each fiber-optic conductor is entirely encased within the solid,flexible material forming the surface of core (1) and the solid,flexible material forming the layer (3), and no fiber-optic conductor'sexterior directly contacts any other fiber-optic conductor's exterior atany point along said length of core-cable (10).
 25. The cable of claim13 where each fiber-optic conductor is entirely encased within thesolid, flexible material forming the surface of core (1) and the solid,flexible material forming the layer (3), and no fiber-optic conductor'sexterior directly contacts any other fiber-optic conductor's exterior atany point along said length of core-cable (10).
 26. The cable of claim14 where each fiber-optic conductor is entirely encased within thesolid, flexible material forming the surface of core (1) and the solid,flexible material forming the layer (3), and no fiber-optic conductor'sexterior directly contacts any other fiber-optic conductor's exterior atany point along said length of core-cable (10).
 27. The cable of claim15 where each fiber-optic conductor is entirely encased within thesolid, flexible material forming the surface of core (1) and the solid,flexible material forming the layer (3), and no fiber-optic conductor'sexterior directly contacts any other fiber-optic conductor's exterior atany point along said length of core-cable (10).
 28. The cable of claim16 where each fiber-optic conductor is entirely encased within thesolid, flexible material forming the surface of core (1) and the solid,flexible material forming the layer (3), and no fiber-optic conductor'sexterior directly contacts any other fiber-optic conductor's exterior atany point along said length of core-cable (10).
 29. The cable of claim17 where each fiber-optic conductor is entirely encased within thesolid, flexible material forming the surface of core (1) and the solid,flexible material forming the layer (3), and no fiber-optic conductor'sexterior directly contacts any other fiber-optic conductor's exterior atany point along said length of core-cable (10).
 30. The cable of claim18 where each fiber-optic conductor is entirely encased within thesolid, flexible material forming the surface of core (1) and the solid,flexible material forming the layer (3), and no fiber-optic conductor'sexterior directly contacts any other fiber-optic conductor's exterior atany point along said length of core-cable (10).
 31. The cable of claim19 where each fiber-optic conductor is entirely encased within thesolid, flexible material forming the surface of core (1) and the solid,flexible material forming the layer (3), and no fiber-optic conductor'sexterior directly contacts any other fiber-optic conductor's exterior atany point along said length of core-cable (10).
 32. The cable of claim20 where each fiber-optic conductor is entirely encased within thesolid, flexible material forming the surface of core (1) and the solid,flexible material forming the layer (3), and no fiber-optic conductor'sexterior directly contacts any other fiber-optic conductor's exterior atany point along said length of core-cable (10).
 33. The cable of claim21 where each fiber-optic conductor is entirely encased within thesolid, flexible material forming the surface of core (1) and the solid,flexible material forming the layer (3), and no fiber-optic conductor'sexterior directly contacts any other fiber-optic conductor's exterior atany point along said length of core-cable (10).
 34. The cable of claim22 where each fiber-optic conductor is entirely encased within thesolid, flexible material forming the surface of core (1) and the solid,flexible material forming the layer (3), and no fiber-optic conductor'sexterior directly contacts any other fiber-optic conductor's exterior atany point along said length of core-cable (10).
 35. A process forascertaining the elongation of a load-bearing cable without using aloose tube fiber-optic construction, the process comprising steps of: a)disposing a Raman backscattering wavelength transmission capablefiber-optic conductor in a helix form and firmly affixed to a coreinterior the cable in combination with a distinct other fiber-opticconductor capable of being used to transmit Brillouin scatteringwavelengths and where the distinct other fiber-optic conductor also isdisposed in a helix form and also is firmly affixed to the core interiorthe cable, both fiber-optic conductors being completely encased in asolid, flexible thermoplastic material each in its helix shape and eachfirmly affixed to and within the core, the core comprising solid,flexible thermoplastic material; b) using heat values obtained byinterpretation of Raman backscattering readings from Ramanbackscattering wavelengths transmitted along the fiber-optic conductorcapable of transmitting Raman backscattering wavelengths in combinationwith data obtained from Brillouin scattering readings from Brillouinscattering readings transmitted along the fiber-optic conductor capableof transmitting Brillouin scattering wavelengths in order to permitcalculating elongation of the optical fiber transmitting the Brillouinscattering wavelengths; and, c) then, by mathematical calculation takinginto account the helical shape of the fiber-optic conductor transmittingthe Brillouin scattering wavelengths, to calculate the elongation in amonitored region of the cable of the helical structure formed by thefiber-optic conductor transmitting the Brillouin scattering wavelengths,and thereby ascertain elongation of the cable in the monitored region ofthe cable.
 36. The process of claim 35 further comprising ascertainingthe load on the cable by correlating the elongation value obtained forthe cable with a data base that correlates percentage elongation valuesfor a particular cable construction to various tensile loads on theparticular cable construction.